Speed-limited Transit Lowers Costs And Emissions

Ford is showing fleet operators how a road speed limiter can reduce their carbon footprint. Fitted to the new Transit the device can make sound business sense, as well as reducing CO2 emissions.

The company has produced a performance chart illustrating the effect of driving a cross-section of Transit models at governed speeds of 60 and 65mph. A road speed limiter (RSL) – costing £25 – potentially can deliver useful savings in fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

On a Transit 260 or 280S 2.2-litre 85PS low-roof van, for example, driving 10mph below the motorway limit could save more than 19 per cent on fuel consumption at cruising speeds – alongside a similar percentage cut in CO2 emissions.

By limiting speeds to 65mph, a saving of more than 10 per cent at cruising speeds is possible on the same model, again with a corresponding 10 per cent-plus reduction in CO2 emissions.

On a Transit Jumbo, a cruising speed saving of almost 13 per cent is achievable by governing top speed at 60mph compared with 70mph.

“Many operators have been asking us about achievable ways of limiting their impact on the environment as well as reducing costs,” says Ford’s fleet operations director Kevin Griffin. “For operations on which maximum motorway speed is not a critical factor, we believe use of RSLs to be one of the most cost-effective approaches.”

The factory-fitted Ford Transit road speed limiter is an option on all diesel models.